The present invention relates to a television transmitter, a television transmitting method, a television receiver and a television receiving method. More particularly, the invention relates to a television transmitter and a television transmitting method whereby a hyper text data signal associated with television broadcast is prepared and transmitted, as well as to a television receiver and a television receiving method whereby the transmitted hyper text data signal is received and processed.
Systems capable of digitally transmitting the television broadcast signal via satellite (broadcasting or communication satellite) to households are getting widespread acceptance. Such systems each offer the household a very large number of TV programs carried illustratively by nearly 80 channels to choose from.
With the ever-growing number of programs they can transmit, these systems propose transmitting along with the programs an electronic program guide (EPG) allowing users to choose desired programs easily. The EPG, when implemented, is displayed on a monitor screen so that preferred programs may be selected quickly and unfailingly.
With related art analog television broadcast, however, attempts to practice the proposed program guide service are faced with a number of difficulties. Large amounts of additional hardware for the service must be provided on both the transmitting and the receiving sides. The constitution of such hardware is necessarily complicated.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to overcome the above-described drawbacks of the related art and to provide a television transmitter, a television transmitting method, a television receiver and a television receiving method allowing users to find and choose desired programs in a fast and reliable manner through the use of a program guide displayed by graphical user interface (GUI).
In carrying out the invention and according to a first aspect thereof, there is provided a television transmitter comprising a signal generation means for generating text data signals associated with television broadcast programs and hyper text data signals corresponding to the text data signals, a multiplex means for multiplexing the text data signals and the hyper text data signals onto video signals of the television broadcast programs to provide a multiplexed television broadcast signal and an output means for outputting the multiplexed television broadcast signal provided by the multiplex means.
According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a television transmitting method comprising the steps of generating text data signals associated with television broadcast programs and hyper text data signals corresponding to the text data signals, multiplexing the text data signals and the hyper text data signals onto video signals of the television broadcast programs to provide a multiplexed television broadcast signal and outputting the multiplexed television broadcast signal.
According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a television receiver comprising a display means for receiving and displaying text data signals extracted from a multiplexed television broadcast signal interleaving the text data signals associated with television broadcast programs and hyper text data signals corresponding to the text data signals, a designation means for designating any one of the text data signals displayed by the display means, a detection means for detecting the hyper text data signal corresponding to the text data signal designated by the designation means and a processing means for processing the television broadcast program corresponding to the hyper text data signal detected by the detection means.
According to a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided a television receiver comprising an extraction means for extracting domain information from a multiplexed television broadcast signal interleaving hyper text data signals including the domain information on a network offering network services related to television broadcast programs, a connection means for establishing connection with an access point corresponding to the domain information on the network, a reception means for receiving data from the access point connected by the connection means and a processing means for processing the data received by the reception means.
According to a fifth aspect of the invention, there is provided a television receiving method comprising the steps of receiving and displaying text data signals extracted from a multiplexed television broadcast signal interleaving the text data signals associated with television broadcast programs and hyper text data signals corresponding to the text data signals, designating any one of the text data signals displayed; detecting the hyper text data signal corresponding to the designated text data signal and processing the television broadcast program corresponding to the hyper text data signal detected.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent upon a reading of the following description and appended drawings.